The present invention relates to an information providing system and an information providing method, a content recording apparatus and a content recording method, and a computer program that provide predetermined information to a user to view contents. The invention particularly relates to an information providing system and an information providing method, a content recording apparatus and a content recording method, and a computer program that provide information about programmed recording of a content to a user to view recorded contents.
More specifically, the present invention relates to an information providing system and an information providing method, a content recording apparatus and a content recording method, and a computer program that provide information about programmed recording of a content by initiative of a content distributor side. The invention particularly relates to an information providing system and an information providing method, a content recording apparatus and a content recording method, and a computer program that provide information for setting and changing programmed recording of a content by initiative of a content distributor side.
Broadcasting plays an immense role in civilized modern information society. Television broadcasting, in particular, which directly delivers sound and video information to viewers, has a great influence. Broadcasting technology includes a wide variety of techniques, such as signal processing, transmission and reception of signals, audio and video information processing, and the like. Further, there are various transmission forms (modalities) for providing program contents to users, such as broadcasting systems using radio waves such as satellite waves, terrestrial waves and the like, cable television systems, and net programs provided by using computer communication.
A dissemination rate of television is very high, with television sets installed in almost all households. Broadcast contents distributed from each broadcasting station are viewed by an indefinite number of the general public. In another mode of viewing broadcast contents, received contents are recorded on a viewer side and then reproduced at a desired time.
Recent development of digital technology has been making it possible to store a large amount of AV data including video and audio. For example, with HDDs (Hard Disk Drives) having a capacity of a few ten GB or more available at relatively low prices, HDD-based recorders, personal computers (PCs) having functions for recording and viewing television programs, and the like are appearing.
The HDD is a device capable of random access to recorded data. Hence, in reproducing recorded contents, unlike a case of conventional video tape, it is not necessary to simply reproduce a recorded program sequentially from a start; it is possible to directly start reproducing a desired program (or a specific scene or a specific segment in a program).
A system in which a receiver (a television or a video recording and reproducing apparatus) including a large-capacity storage such as a hard disk device, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) recorder and the like is used to receive broadcast contents, and the broadcast contents are stored in the receiver and then reproduced is referred to as a “server type broadcast system.” The server type broadcast system enables not only real-time viewing as in ordinary television reception, but also viewing from a specified time after video and audio are transmitted in advance, and scene retrieval and digest viewing using simultaneously transmitted information and the like.
When a large number of programs are stored in a system capable of recording programs for as long as a few ten hours, such as an HDD recorder, a DVD recorder or the like, a user is puzzled over selection of program contents, or as to which program to view first or which program to record. Some assistance for viewing is considered necessary to prevent contents stored with effort from being left unused and utilize the contents effectively. Partly for this reason, effective operation of programmed recording of broadcast programs is considered important for users to have beneficial television program viewing activity.
A so-called electronic program guide (EPG) system, for example, is known in which a program guide for selecting television broadcast programs is superimposed on an image signal to be transmitted, and the program guide is displayed on a display device on a receiver side. Obtaining an EPG in parallel with viewing of a broadcast program, a user can identify or estimate programs desired to be viewed by referring to the EPG distributed as an accompaniment to the program.
As another method for recommending program recording, a user looks at a bulletin board on a network, and manually performs recording operation according to contents described on the bulletin board.
However, in the conventional mode of program recording on the basis of program information including the EPG and the like, program recording is generally performed under initiative of users. In other words, conditions and convenience of a content distributor side are not reflected in program recording operation. For example, when the content distributor side changes a time for recording, programmed recording cannot be changed automatically. In addition, programmed recording of a same program for a next week, for example, cannot be set automatically.